Home Office

Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2015 to Question 5979, whether any files relating to child abuse have been destroyed by the intelligence and security services since 1 September 2014; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley: As set out in the Answer to PQ 5979, the Inquiry will have access to all information that it considers relevant, including any records held by the intelligence and security services. The Home Secretary has been clear from the outset that all departments, including the intelligence and security agencies, must comply fully with the Inquiry, ensuring that if any relevant files are held that they are available for the Inquiry to review. That is the basis on which the agencies have been proceeding, and they remain committed to co-operating in full. Furthermore, on 23rd June 2015 the Inquiry served HMG a notice requiring it to retain material of potential relevance to the Inquiry's terms of reference. The Security and Intelligence Agencies will comply with this notice.